Letters To Claire
by whitnibble
Summary: On Claire's 16th birthday she finds a box full of letters from her friends and family...with a twist. Quil/Claire
1. The Letters

**disclaimer: i don't own twilight.**

Most people got breakfast in bed on there sweet 16, Claire thought grumpily. Most people got cake. Most people got a huge party. Claire got a box of letters.

Exactly what she was supposed to do with a bunch of letters she wasn't sure of. Read them, she answered herself. Duh. But she had no clue why she'd gotten them. Leah had told her once that her father had left her a box of letters after he died. Nobody in Claire's life had died. She scanned her brain to make sure she hadn't missed anyone. Nope.

She had supposed it was too much to want a car for her birthday. Her parents had made it clear she wasn't getting one. She'd hoped Quil would get her one, Quil always got her what she wanted. Honestly, she would have thought Quil would get her anything other than a box of letters.

Of course, she thought to herself, Quil often knew what she wanted even when she didn't. What could possibly be in those letter that she wanted to hear? She considered this. What did she want? World peace, she decided. That was all she could come up with. She had everything she wanted. Even Quil couldn't achieve world peace, she reminded herself. But she wasn't quite sure she believed that.

"**Of course,"** she could hear Quil saying in her head, "**Claire has to try to figure out what the letters are instead of going over and reading them like a normal person would."**

"Shut up," she told the Quil in her mind, "I don't even care what's in them." And then she would have walked away and not looked back. But she couldn't bring herself to do that.

"**Just read them."** urged brain- Quil. **"You won't be disappointed." **

She almost did too, brain- Quil had almost the same affect on her real- Quil did. Then she reminded herself it wasn't healthy to listen to people's voices in her head.

Really, she asked herself, why was she so afraid of a bunch of stupid letters? She could go over, read them, then go down and throw a hissy-fit over the fact that all she got were a bunch of letters.

Or even, she thought, when she opened them, they'd tell her to go downstairs and there would be the car she wanted. It wouldn't be unlike him to do that. Or it was probably a prank, like she'd go over to read them and they'd all say, "You're almost as old as I am!" or a snake would pop out or something. It was something she could imagine him doing.

The truth was, she was afraid of these letters. She was positive when she read them something would change, something big. She'd probably never be the same. She could only imagine the ghosts Leah had faced when she read her father's letters, and she wondered just how many ghosts of her own there were to face. Putting on a brave face, she reached into the box and pulled out the first one.


	2. Emily

Dear Claire,

Happy 16th Birthday! I bet you're so beautiful. I bet you've got those boys wrapped around your finger. I bet Quil's beating them off with a stick.

So today was a major turning point in your life. I'm guessing you won't remember it at all, but I know it's a day I'll never forget. See, You're only 2 years old. Your mom dropped you off at my house, intending for me to take care of you for a few days. Little did anyone know, of course, what was going to happen next.

Right after, Sam and the boys (and Leah) came home. The second Quil saw you, he imprinted on you. So I know that you won't know what imprinting is, and that is why I am so honored to be the one to tell you. 14 years from now. In a letter. It was actually Leah's idea, this way you would know how much you mean to Quil and everyone else before you knew he'd imprinted on you.

I threw a fit when I figured it out. Now I sound like a hypocrite. It's not that I didn't want you to have the love and commitment that comes with an imprint, because I did. It's the most amazing thing, knowing someone was made for you. That you'd found the one and that you're their world. I just didn't want anyone to feel what poor Leah ahs gone through. Luckily, Quil wasn't in a relationship when he imprinted, but there's the fact that you won't know till now. I really, really hope that you aren't in a relationship right now. And if you are, I hope it's not a big one. Leah is so broken and hurt all the time, and it kills me to see her like that. I don't want anyone else to feel like that, ever. (I sincerely pray this is a much different Leah then the one you know right now.)

So I'm sure you still have some questions about imprinting, but I have no clue what they are. (Ha, ha, ha, shocker!) So that's the point of these letters. You're going to get one from a different person every year, detailing something you've done that has affected them to the point they want you to know about it. Such as the fact Quil imprinted on you. They'll be kept in a box, and on your 16th birthday, Quil will somehow present them to you so you can learn everything. Think of it like a time capsule.

In all honesty, I don't think Quil likes this idea at all. He really wanted you to grow up knowing it, he doesn't think it's fair he has to keep secrets from you when Sam kept none from me. Sam then decided you could learn everything when you were 16, when he felt you were old enough to understand it (and Quil wouldn't look like a pedophile). So I suggested that a girl be the one to tell you, because I figured you'd want to talk to someone right after and I wasn't sure you'd want to talk to Quil. I suggested Leah do it. I thought that seemed fair. She insisted if she was going to have to be the first one to wish you a happy life with your imprint, she was going to jump off a cliff and kill herself then. Then she brought up the letters, which we all agreed were a good idea. She says she didn't want to tell you for her. I think she did it for you. She's so biased on the subject of imprinting. But that's not my story to tell.

So in conclusion, Claire, these letters are to show you just how loved you are, and that imprinting is nothing to be afraid of, or hurt by. If you have feelings for Quil now, I can guarantee he feels the same a hundred times stronger. And to reveal some other stories and secrets too. So sit back, get some hot chocolate, and enjoy a stroll through memory lane.

Love,

Emily

_Claire sat and stared at the page. Imprinting? She'd never heard of it. And the Leah Emily described sounded nothing like the Leah she knew. Did she have feelings for Quil? She didn't even want to imagine that. How awkward would that be? But Emily had said Quil felt the same…a hundred times over. 14 years in the past. Had Quil fallen in love with her 14 years ago? That was creepy. "Imprinting is nothing to be afraid of." Emily had said. Claire bit her lip. Confused as she was, she knew she had to keep going. This letter had just whet her appetite. She reached for the next one._


	3. Paul

Dear Claire,

So Happy 16th. I hope You have a good birthday, and awesome presents and other awesome stuff like that.

So I'm sure this letter seems fairly pointless at this point. And I guess it is, I just wanted to write you a letter while you were still young and innocent. Because as much of an angel as you are right now, I've seen the sweetest of little girls grow up into awful bitter harpies (yes, that means you Leah, because I can tell you're reading over my shoulder.) I've also seen the bossiest of little kids turn into the kindest of adults (yes, Emily, you were a bossy little devil.)

So before you turn into hell, like all little kids do, I just wanted to remind you how much of an angel you were (are? Hopefully.). I don't know how to describe it. So obviously, seeing as we're werewolves (were you supposed to know about that? I think Quil will have told you by now. If not, we're all werewolves except Emily and Kim and Rachael and maybe some other people like 13 years in the future.) we all burst into giant wolves when we get angry. And I will admit (see I will admit it!) that I have a harder time keeping my temper than any of the others. But not so much around you. I don't know if it's because you're a kid, or something else. I just can.

You have that affect on all of us though. Like Leah. She's being _maternal_. It's scary. And Jacob. He's not so angsty about Bella anymore. And obviously you've had the biggest affect on Quil (who of course, is NOT a pedophile as he constantly reminds us.) He's so protective. Like if you trip and fall, he'll like, want to take you to the hospital or something. It's crazy. It's hilarious though.

I don't think he appreciates it when we tease him about hanging out with a 3 year old all the time. But you've got to admit, (and I'm hoping you're old enough to see the humor in this now) that a 16 year old guy hanging out with a 3 year old girl, watching Dora and playing with Barbie's, is funny, imprint or not.

And I have the right to say that. Ever since I imprinted on Rachael, I've understood why you mean so much to Quil. If anything were to happen to her, I don't know what I would do. I'd be devastated. Look at me, pouring my heart out to a child. Well, I guess you won't be a child by the time you read this, but it's still weird. But I guess I'm asking you, though it wasn't my intention, to be good to Quil. He's my friend, and even though he's annoying sometimes, he really, honestly, loves you, and if his overprotective-ness bugs you, let it go. Rachael's older than me and I'm horribly overprotective of her, so I can only imagine how bad it is for Quil.

Leah's glaring at me right now. She thinks my letter pointless. I don't think it's pointless! I told you about being a werewolf. She's just being dumb. She's like convinced these letters will be secret love letters or something. Well sorry if 3 year olds don't do interesting things every day. I don't even know what the point of these is. He could just tell you he imprinted on you. And that we're wolves. Isn't honesty like the basis to a good relationship? But no, he goes and listens to Ms. Grumpy-Gills over there. Oh well. Happy birthday Claire!

Love,

Paul

_Claire sat back and rubbed her eyes. Tonight, she had a thing or two to say to Paul about being a "devil". Werewolves? She knew the stories, of course she did, but that was ridiculous right? There were no vampires here. And then there was that word, imprinting, again. If imprinting was what had happened to Paul and Rachael, wasn't that what she wanted for herself? She blushed at the thought of her and Quil being that intimate. And the people mentioned were so different from those she knew! Except Emily. Emily was still kind. But an angsty Jacob? A bitter Leah? A pedophile Quil? She laughed to herself. Apparently the last one was true. Still smiling, she reached for the next one._

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**a/n: So these first few chapters have been really short. I have an idea for the next one (age 4) so hopefully that one will be harder. It's a challenge, writing long letters! REVIEW!**


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